Flash light



Jan. 16, 1934. G. c. FULLMER 1,943,760

FLASH LIGHT Filed May 16. 1932 Patented Jan. 16, 1934 UNITED STATES PATE oFFicE FLASH LIGHT Connecticut Application May 16, 1932. Serial No. 611,527

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in flash lights, and has for an object to provide a strong and eflicient structure for a light of this kind and which structure comprises but a few parts which may be manufactured at low cost and which may be easily and quickly assembled whereby the light may be produced at low cost.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section and showing my improved construction;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a pressed fibre ring employed; and

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View illustrating a step in the assembly.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the improved flash light as here shown includes an open ended cylindrical casing 6 preferably formed of metal and enclosing a battery '7. The lower end of the casing 6 is closed by a cap 8 threaded to the casing and this cap carries a contact spring 9 engaging the end wall of the battery 7 to ground the metal contact or shell of the battery on the casing. A combined closure, support and contact means generally designated 10 and later to be described in detail closes the upper or forward end of the metal casing 6.

A short distance inwardly of its forward end the casing 6 is formed with a bead l1 and a pressed fibre ring 12 is inserted through the open end of the casing and disposed on this bead. As inserted, ring 12 includes a lower annular flange or arm 13 and a series of fingers 14 extending at right angles to said flange and the ring is inserted in the casing with the flange disposed against the bead 11 and with the fingers 14 disposed against the inner surface of the wall of the casing as shown in Fig. 5. Next the construction or support 10 is inserted through the open end of the casing 6 and into the ring 12 and resting on the flange 13 of the ring. This construction comprises a disc of pressed flbre or other insulating material 16 in position on a metal disc 15. These two discs may be secured together by the metal screw socket 18 for the lamp bulb 20. This socket may have W a flange 19 forming a shoulder to rest on the disc 16 and the portion below this shoulder is passed through aligned openings in the discs 15 and 16 and riveted or rolled over at its lower end as indicated at 20 to secure the parts together and form an electrical connection between the socket l8 and the plate 15. The end portion 17 of the casing may then be pressed or turned inwardly into the position in which it is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and this operation will result in the finger portions 14 of the fibre ring being pressed inwardly on to the top surface of disc 16 whereby the ring embraces the edge portions of the discs 15 and 16 and completely insulates said discs from the casing. The in-t-urned end portion 17 of the easing will serve to clamp the unit comprising the ring 12 and discs 15 and 16 against the bead 11 whereby the unit is securely held in place and whereby a strong and rigid structure is economiso cally provided. Of course, if desired, the fingers 14 of the ring may be turned inwardly and the end portion 1? of the casing then turned or folded over or inwardly this being a matter of choice.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the socket 18 is rigidly mounted and is completely insulated from the casing 6.

A portion 21 of ;he casing 6 slightly inwardly of the forward end thereof has screw threads pressed therein and threaded to this portion is a cap 22, the outer end of which is inturned providing a flange 23 against which rests a flange 24. about the outer edge of a reflector 25. A lens 26 is disposed on the flange 24 of the reflector and is clamped against said flange as by a ring 27 threaded to the cap. This arrangement of course, results in the reflector being securely mounted since its flange 24 will be clamped against the flange 23 of the cap when the ring 27 is tightened. The socket 18 receives the stem of a light bulb 28 and the inner end of the stem of said bulb is electrically connected with the central terminal post 29 of the battery 7 either by the direct connection shown or otherwise as found desirable. Reflector 25 is provided with a relatively large central opening 30 whereby while said reflector is arranged to reflect light from the bulb 28 it is out of contact with the socket l8 and so does not complete a circuit between said socket and the casing 6.

A conductor 31 has an end portion 32 in engagement with the conducting disc 15 and this conductor 31 is mounted on a strip of insulating material which strip is riveted or otherwise secured to the casing s and which in addition to supporting the conductor 31 also serves to insulate it from the casing. Riveted or otherwise secured to and thus grounded on the casing is a switch 34 including an operating member 35 adapted to be manipulated to close a circuit between the conductor 31 and the casing whereby to ground said conductor on the casing. It will now be understood that one post of the battery is grounded on the casing by the spring 9 and that the other post of the battery is electrically connected with the conductor 31 through the stem of the bulb 28, the socket 18 and the disc 15. Therefore, on the portion 35 of the switch 34 being operated to ground the conductor 31 on the easing the circuit is completed and the bulb energized.

The combined support, closure and conductor 10 effectively closes the forward end of the casing 6 and in addition forms a support for the socket 18. Also it insulates said socket from the casing and provides a conductor from the socket to the conductor strip 31. This means 10 comprises but a few parts and may be manufactured at low cost since the parts in and of themselves are of simple construction and may be easily assembled as above set forth. As the means is clamped between the end portion 1'! of the casing and the bead 11 it will be noted that the means is mounted without the use of screw threads, rivets or additional parts and that it is securely held in place and thoroughly insulated from the casing.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a flash light, a casing having an open end, a bead in said casing inwardly of said open end, a pressed fibre ring in the open end of said casing and bearing against and supported by said bead, said fibre ring including inner and outer portions and a connecting portion, a disc of conducting material of a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of said casing and extending over the inner portion of said bead and sup-- ported in said ring and engaging the inner and connecting portions thereof and insulated from the casing thereby, a disc of insulating material disposed in said ring on said disc of conducting material and supported thereby, said discs being substantially co-extensive, said casing having its open end portion turned inwardly against the outer portion of said ring and maintaining said outer portion against said disc of insulating material and clamping said ring against said bead, said discs having registering openings therein, a lamp socket extending through said openings and mounted by said discs and contacting with said disc of conducting material, a conductor engaging said disc of conducting material, and a switch to close a circuit between said conductor and the casing.

2. In a flash light, a casing having an open end, a head in said casing inwardly of said open end, a ring of insulating material in the open end of said casing and bearing against said bead, said ring including inner and outer portions and a connecting portion, a disc of conducting material or" a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of said casing and extending over the inner portion of said bead and supported in said ring and engaging the inner portion thereof and insulated from the casing thereby, a disc of insulating material on said disc of conducting material and supported thereby, said discs being substantially co-extensive, said casing having its open end portion turned inwardly against the outer portion of ring and clamping said ring the discs carried thereby against said bead, a lamp socket supported by said discs and in engagement with the disc of conducting material, a conductor engaging said disc of conducting material, and a switch to close a circuit between said conductor and the casing.

3. In a flashlight, a casing having an open end, means closing the openend of the casing and supporting a lamp socket, said means comprising a ring of insulating mate ial including inner and outer portions and a connecting portion, a disc of conducting material of a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the casing and supported in said ring and engaging the inner portion thereof and insulated from the casing thereby, a disc of insulating material on said disc or" conducting material and substantially coextensive therewith and supported thereby, the outer portion of ring comprising inwardly turned fingers engaging the outer surface of the 1 disc of insulating material whereby to clamp said discs together to form a unit, means mounting said unit in the outer end of said casing with said ring insulatin the conductor disc from the casing, a lamp socket supported by saiddiscs and in engagement with the disc of conducting material, a conductor engaging said disc of conducting material, and a switch to close a circuit between s id conductor and the casing.

GILES C. FULLMER. 

